


Fish out of water

by whitearrow



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 11:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12839886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitearrow/pseuds/whitearrow
Summary: A short series about how Robin and Chrom come to be, her feelings about the royal court, and the day Emmeryn fell.





	Fish out of water

The Ylissean prince was a comically colorful sight; his face red, his hair blue, and his clothes stained purple with jam. His face began to match the sticky substance smeared over his clothing, and it took all of Robin’s restraint to not burst out laughing. She quickly dragged him by his arm, but not before he got in one last word.    
  
“And it’s pronounced Chrom!” The prince hissed furiously as he was led away from yet another failed marriage meeting. He stomped for good measure, as though to inundate the other party with the extent of his anger. “Who are these women! They claim to be high born, but from what? Risen?” Chrom rips off the cravat around his neck and she patted his back. She was harried to quiet him down lest rumors spread of his...uncouthness. It was not like him to react so...it would take some diplomacy to ease the answer out of him. 

  
  


“It’ll be fine, Chrom,” Robin said soothingly. She squeezed in hand as they both borrowed the royal passage to escape wandering eyes, and went inside his chambers for discussion. That is, after she cleaned her disgruntled prince up. 

  
She sat him on his bed and brought a wet washcloth over to clean his face. “Couldn’t you be a bit more agreeable?”

 

“No,” he shot at her with leftover irritation. She looked at hm with disapproval and he sighed. “Sorry—I should calm down. I really am sorry but...gods…” He made a face as he smeared more jam over his tunic and pulled it over his head to rid of it entirely. Robin took care to not look at his...shirtless state and quickly handed him a fresh shirt. 

 

“It feels like I’m doing Freddy Bear’s job,” she joked to lighten her mood. He smiled at her with gratitude just as he slipped her shirt on. Before his head popped back out she took her chance to sigh in relief. Gods, how pathetic that her heart skipped a beat. She’d seen him in the nude before—oh no she was thinking about the rest of him. As she internally boiled inside she realized that he was staring at her face with a puzzled look that had his lips half downturned into a frown. “Ah...I was just wondering what it was that set you off like that.”

 

“Oh...ah…” he held a fist to his mouth and averted his eyes. “Promise to not be mad?”

 

“Chrom…”

 

His puppy eyes had her waver instantly. Though with some reluctance, she waved her hand as agreement that she would not be upset. 

 

“I cannot tolerate anyone that slights you. Let’s put it like that.”

 

She could imagine it very well. Did...all his prospects comment on her? “Oh Chrom...please don’t worry for me—who cares about what others speak of me—“

 

“I do...very much so. And you know,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “I’m not very interested in this marriage business anyway. Can’t I inspire the realm some other way.”

 

“I’m not saying you can’t but…”

 

“Then you find me a bride.” He threw his hands up in exasperation and groaned as he lay back in bed, it’s wooden frame protesting against the sudden force. 

 

“Very well. I'll do just that. Any requests, your stubborn highness?”

 

He made a face at the address. “Find me a woman like you and I won’t have any complaints.” Her heart panged with a sharp flutter, and felt as though all the wind had just been knocked out of her. 

 

“Ah…” she smiled weakly. “A strange prince indeed.” She bowed her head and took her leave, her heart pounding in her ears as she did her damnedest to forget her feelings for him...not that he made it easy for her. 

 

A week passed after her appointment as royal matchmaker. 

 

Frederick looked over at Robin with sympathy and hidden amusement. “Having trouble?”As a man if many talents, he was no stranger to arduous work. The mission that Robin lay out for all of them, however, was no short of a herculean feat. 

 

“I can see why Chrom is beyond his wit’s end,” Robin muttered darkly. “Gods...why are so many noblewomen like this?” She looked up at him with both her hands in her hair, strands loosely frizzed from being toyed with entirely too much. 

 

He mulled over an acceptable answer as he crossed out yet another name on the list. If he were being unbiased, he would need to admit that faults were slight. Where Chrom would hold issue with personality, so would she, and Frederick would as well. 

 

There were many faults he also found forgivable, naturally. Any slights towards anyone or lower birth or wealth were immediate disqualifiers. Any complaints of the prince and she had them immediately escorted out, courtesy of one very stern Frederick. 

 

But other times...Frederick couldn’t hide his exasperation at Robins reasons for expulsion. Chewing too loud, looking too shifty, shady eyes. Where Chrom would allow passes in terms of etiquette—Robin would not forgive either. It was as though she went from the girl boorishly wolfing down bear meat during their very first meeting, to being possessed by Maribelle. In fact, he had to check that she was still among the living and not currently inhabiting Robin’s body. 

 

“A combination of nature and nurture, if I had to venture a guess.” He dared not say that she held the same standards as his lord. 

 

Robin let out an impressive string of swears he would be sure to remember for his next battle in the laundry room. 

 

“Well this won’t do. What do you propose, Frederick?” The wild look in her eyes had him take a few step backwards before his response, and he had the look of a man standing before a firing squad. 

 

“You…” he took a guarded stance behind a desk as she narrowed her eyes. “You ought to marry him, yourself.”

 

“Frederick…” she glared at him only halfheartedly—there was a melancholy in her eyes that he found unfortunately simple to place, as of late. “That’s impossible.”

 

Now that his safety seemed mostly assured, he stepped back towards her. “Why? You appear to hold...feelings, for Prince Chrom.”

 

“Regardless of my...affections—not that I’m saying they exist—there are two important and undeniable factors that prohibit us from coming together.” She started to smooth out her hair once more, to the verge of undoing her pigtails. Frederick gently held her hands to stop her fidgeting, and she decided to keep speaking. Her restlessness easily belied her true feelings for his liege. “I...have nothing. A strange woman, picked up in a field by the mercy of a kind prince. One who turned out to be a tactician, and could hold her own on the battlefield. Tongues would wag faster than you could say pegasus dung, should I be wed to Chrom. I dare say there’s no shortage of gossip in the rumor mill as it were.”

 

Frederick nodded once. ‘‘Tis definitely a matter to consider. Pray tell...your other reason for opposition.”

 

“His heart,” she smiled sadly. “Why hold claim to something that isn’t mine. And thus, Frederick—my...my emotions don’t belong in this discussion. This is for Chrom’s...and the halidom’s best interests and wellbeing. My role is to stay to the side where I belong...if I even deserve that.”

 

“Robin…”

 

“I haven’t forgotten, Frederick.” She spoke quietly and drew her arms to hug herself. “Not a single day passes that I have. I’ve failed...the entire realm once. Do you think I can afford to cause any more chaos than I already have.”

 

It was a rough spot for both of them, and Frederick’s face contorted in pain. “You must know that you cannot take the blame—“

 

“Then what else can I take from that day?” She flung her arm to the side and knocked a few rolls of parchment over. Rather than retrieve the paper, Frederick instead reached for Robin to hold her close to his chest. He wasn’t used to showing his affection as such, but the sadness in her eyes had him act before he could think. He could feel her resist his hold until she gave up and heaved a heavy sigh into his vest. She mouthed a thanks, though he needed not hear it to know. He stroked her hair softly until she relaxed her tense stance. 

 

“Forgive me…I will...work harder to aid you in Chrom’s courtship. This is just as important a matter as any. I shall take your leave.” He let go of her and pet her head one last time. 

 

She nodded, her eyes now lost in a faraway look he yet not knew to rescue her from. Though troubled in the state he would currently leave he in, he made sure to make good on his word. 


End file.
